Elastic band

ABSTRACT

An elastic band designed to give improved accuracy, range and velocity of projection when the band is projected from an elastic band firing gun. The band has a flat circumferential shape consisting of straight portions connected by sharp turns at the ends of the band. The outside surface of the band is rounded while the inside surface of the band is flat. The outside surfaces of the straight portions have air channels. The band is of greater cross sectional area at the turns. The band may incorporate phosphorescent material to increase visibility.

United States Patent [191 Skillern [451 Sept. 2, 1975 ELASTIC BAND [76] Inventor: John A. Skillern, 132 State St.,

Framingham, Mass. 01701 22 Filed: June 28, 1974 211 App]. No.: 483,926

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 376,421, July 5,

1973, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 273/106 R; 273/D1G. 24

[51] Int. Cl. A63B 65/00 [58] Field of Search 273/106 R; 124/18, 19;

156/245; 161/76, 189', 117/35 R, 35.5 R; 252/301.3 R; D74/1 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,622,421 3/1927 Coffield 273/213 1,841,407 1/1932 Gammeter 156/245 X 1,877,559 9/1932 Copple 124/18 1,887,520 11/1932 Saxton 124/18 2,568,279 9/1951 Franz et al... 273/D1G. 24 3,297,012 l/1967 Kirkland 273/106 R X AIR FLOW 5/1969 Griffin 273/DIG. 24 2/1971 Christy 273/DIG. 24

OTHER PUBLICATIONS Playthings Magazine March 1970 p. 252 Psychedelic Disk.

Mutual Stationary C0. Catalog Sept. 1935 p. 190 Rubber Bands.

Primary Examiner-Pau1 E. Shapiro ABSTRACT An elastic band designed to give improved accuracy, range and velocity of projection when the band is projected from an elastic band firing gun. The band has a flat circumferential shape consisting of straight portions connected by sharp turns at the ends of the band. The outside surface of the band is rounded while the inside surface of the band is flat. The outside surfaces of the straight portions [have air channels. The band is of greater cross sectional area at the turns. The band may incorporate phosphorescent material to increase visibility.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures ELASTIC BAND Introduction This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 376,421 filed July 5, 1973 entitled ELASTIC BAND, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates in general to elastic bands and more particularly is concerned with elastic bands specially-configured to be used as projectiles when fired from guns especially designed to retain and discharge elastic bands. My related US. Pat. No. 3,812,833 covers a family of improved. elastic band guns.

Background of the Invention In addition to their customary commercial and domestic uses elastic bands have long been used as projectiles which can be projected either from a specially designed gun or from the fingers. When used in this fashion the traditional elastic bands have given results which can be characterized as being inaccurate, short ranged and having a low velocity of projection. The principal advantage of elastic band projectiles as compared to rigid projectiles such as BBs, arrows and bullets is that they are inherently non-penetrating and hence are far less hazardous.

OBJECTS OF. THE INVENTION Accordingly, one important object of the present invention is to provide an elastic band design which gives improved accuracy, range and velocity of projection when the band is used as a projectile.

A further objective of the present invention is to pro vide means which make it easier to locate elastic bands which become situated in darkened areas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of an elastic band constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the clastic band of FIG. 1 taken on the section line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the elastic band of FIG. 1 taken on the section line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the elastic band of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 taken on the section line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2, of an alternate embodiment of the elastic band;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of another alternate embodiment of the elastic band;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3, of an alternate embodiment of the elastic band; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the elastic band of FIG. -7 taken on the section line 88.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The elastic band shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 is comprised of a continuous strip 1 having sharp turns 4 and 4' on opposite ends and a cross-sectional configuration which is substantially flat on the inside of the band 5 and rounded on the outside 6 of the band with optional fluted channels 7 extending along the sides of the band. The band is intended for use with elastic band firing guns which provide means of retaining and selectively releasing one or more stretched bands. Several embodiments of such a gun are shown in my US. Pat. No.

3,812,833. Upon release the bands are projected by means of their owntensive force.

An initial discovery of great importance was that bands, such as those herein described, which are projected with one side under greater tension than the other side give greatly improved performance over that of bands fired without such differential tension. For example, loading any of the above referenced guns in such a manner may be accomplished by positioning the sharp turn 4 on the forward end of the barrel and then manually stretching the band rearwardly with side 8' under greater tension than side 8 until the rear of the band can be placed on a rearwardly located retaining and releasing assembly. The resultant improvement in performance is due to the tendency of a band thus projected to assume and maintain an elongated, dart-like configuration during a major portion of its flight rather than becoming convoluted and thus encountering increased air resistance as is the case when a' band is loaded with both sides under approximately thesame tensions. In other words the band maintains a shape" similar to that shown in FIG. 1 in which the turn 4 is the leading end and the turn 4' is the trailing end with the resultant air flow direction as shown in FIG. 1. This phenomena occurs since the leading end 4, i.e. the convex outer band surface 4, is effected by considerably less air resistance than the trailing end 4', i.e. the con cave inner band surface 9. The concave surface 9 ofthe sharp turn 4' thus operates as a stabilizer in a manner analogous to that of the feathers on an'arrow. The

resultant improvement in performance occurs regard less of which portion of the band, i.e. the turns 4 or 4' or the sides 8 or 8', is positioned on the forward end of the barrel. Either of the ends 4 or 4' may equally well i be the leading end during the flight of the band. In addition to being loaded with a tension differential between the two sides the extent and duration of the tendency to remain elongated and dart-like while in flight is also dependent upon the physical characteristics of the bands as will be explained.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 the elastic band 1 is a continuous strip of pliant, stretchable and resilient material with a substantially flat inherent circumferential shape. In other words, the side portions of the band 8 and 8 between the sharp turns 4 and 4' tend inherently to be disposed closely to one another when the band is in a stable and relaxed state as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. This flat circumferential shape results in improved accuracy, range and velocity of projection over that of an inherently round circumferentially shaped band since the band tends to assume and maintain an elongated, dart-like configuration while in flight, if discharged after being loaded with a tension differential between the two sides of the band. As explained previously this elongated, dart-like shape results in greatly minimized in-flight air resistance.

The cross-sectional shape of the sides 8 and 8. shown in FIG. 2, consists of flat surfaces 5 on the inside of the band and rounded surfaces 6 on the outside of the band with fluted channels 7 extending along the sides of the band. The cross-sectional shape of the sharp turn 4, shown in FIG. 4, also has a flat surface 9 on the inside of the band and a rounded surface 4 on the outside of the band. When the band is traveling in the direction indicated in FIG. I this cross-sectional configuration results in further improved flight performance since air resistance at the leading end 4 is fursquare edged band. The square edged, concave inner surface 9' of the rear end 4' of the band, however,'offers as much air resistance as with a traditional square edged band so that it can serve its essential function as a stabilizer. The cross-sectional shape of the turn 4' is identical to that of 4 as described above.

The fluted channels 7 extending along the sides of the band are optional and serve to additionally improve flight stability and keep the band on a straight flight trajectory. FIGS. 1 and 4 show that the fluted channels do not extend around the sharp turns 4 and 4.

The cross-sectional band shape may be as shown in FIG. 2 or alternately may be elliptically shaped as shown in FIG. 5 or rectangular with rounded edges as shown in. FIG. 6. The alternate cross-sectional shapes shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 may also contain channels similar to those shown in FIG. 2. For the bands shown in FIGS. -2, 5 and '6 the band width 10 is greater than the thickness 11 so as to facilitate the stacking of such elastic bands one upon the other on a common forwardly located releasable retaining means such as that described in' U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,833. The bands may have substantially the same cross-sectional shapes around the full extent of their circumferences or may havedifferent cross-sectional shapes at some portions. For example, FIGS. 7 and 8 show cross-sectional views of a band similar to that shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in all respects except that its thickness 12 in the vicinity of the turn 13 is greater than the thickness 11 shown in FIG. 4. There are two primary reasons for this modification.;First, the resultant increased rigidity in the area of the sharp turns 13 increases the tendency of the band to assume and maintain an elongated, dart-like configuration while in flight. Second, the increased band strength at the turns 13 increases the useful life of the band when the band is being used as a projectile since these are the areas of deterioration and most frequent breakage.

Bands having rounded cross-sectional shapes may best be produced by means of a compression molding process although they may also be produced by an injection molding process.

The bands herein described may be made from any material, such as natural gum rubber, which when properly conditioned has the appropriate properties of stretchability, resilience, pliancy, strength, density and durability. Also additional materials may be added to the band material which render the bands phosphorescent. This greatly aids in locating bands which become situated in darkened areas as well as providing a tracer effect when the bands are fired in the darkness.

Having described this invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications may be made of the embodiments shown and described without department from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An elastic band comprising a continuous strip of pliant stretchable and resilient material,

said band having a substantially flat inherent circumferential shape consisting of straight portions connected by sharp turns on opposite ends of the band,

the cross-sectional configuration of said band over a substantial portion of its circumference being generally rounded in shape on the outside surface of the band and generally flat shaped on the inside of the band.

2. An elastic band as described in claim 1 further characterized by said band further having channels extensive along a substantial portion of the outer surfaces of the straight portions.

3. An elastic band as described in claim 1 further characterized by the cross-sectional area of said band in the vicinity of said turns being greater than that at other locations on the circumference of the band.

4. An elastic band as described in claim 1 further characterized by said band containing material which renders the band phosphorescent.

5. An elastic band comprising a continuous strip of pliant, stretchable and resilient material,

said band having a straight flat inherent circumferential shape consisting of straight portions connected by sharp turns on opposite ends of the band,

said band further having channels extensive along a substantial portion of the outer surfaces of the straight portions. 

1. An elastic band comprising a continuous strip of pliant stretchable and resilient material, said band having a substantially flat inherent circumferential shape consisting of straight portions connected by sharp turns on opposite ends of the band, the cross-sectional configuration of said band over a substantial portion of its circumference being generally rounded in shape on the outside surface of the band and generally flat shaped on the inside of the band.
 2. An elastic band as described in claim 1 further characterized by said band further having channels extensive along a substantial portion of the outer surfaces of the straight portions.
 3. An elastic band as described in claim 1 further characterized by the cross-sectional area of said band in the vicinity of said turns being greater than that at other locations on the circumference of the band.
 4. An elastic band as described in claim 1 further characterized by said band conTaining material which renders the band phosphorescent.
 5. An elastic band comprising a continuous strip of pliant, stretchable and resilient material, said band having a straight flat inherent circumferential shape consisting of straight portions connected by sharp turns on opposite ends of the band, said band further having channels extensive along a substantial portion of the outer surfaces of the straight portions. 